Kildwick CE Primary School

Learning to Live, Living to Love, Loving to Learn

Behaviour Policy

Date Approved: Spring 2026

Next Review: Spring 2027

1. Introduction

This Behaviour Policy is guided by the principles set out in Paul Dix’s approach to creating a calm, safe and relational school culture. It promotes consistency, kindness, clear routines and restorative practice. The focus is on building strong relationships, teaching expected behaviours and ensuring every child feels respected, safe and ready to learn.

In line with the Equality Act 2010, the school will make reasonable adjustments to ensure that pupils with disabilities or additional needs are not disadvantaged by behaviour expectations or procedures.
Adjustments may include (but are not limited to):

  • Adapted instructions or processing time
  • Use of visual supports or alternative communication
  • Flexible use of reflection time or consequences
  • Access to safe spaces or sensory regulation
  • Differentiated expectations based on individual needs
  • Staff will consider each pupil’s needs when applying this policy to ensure fairness and equity.

Consistent does not mean identical; responses may be adapted to meet individual needs

2. Core Principles

  • Consistency: All staff follow the same expectations, routines and responses.
  • Relational Practice: Positive relationships are at the heart of behaviour management.
  • Emotionally Intelligent Adults: Staff respond with calmness, respect and clarity.
  • Restorative Conversations: Mistakes are treated as opportunities to learn, repair and restore.
  • High Expectations for All: Every child is capable of meeting our shared standards.

3. Our School Vision

The school vision statement is ‘Learning to live, living to love, loving to learn’.

As a Church of England School the biblical underpinnings to this vision are core.

It describes our ambition not only to foster a love of learning amongst our children, but to teach them to live positive, productive lives where they love and respect their neighbours. 

On moving to secondary school, we aim to ensure that all children clearly demonstrate these qualities.

Learning to live

Jesus wishes us to have ‘abundant life’ and we have a responsibility to enable our children to learn what this means for them. (John 10 v10)

Children will:

  • Appreciate the link between physical activity, healthy eating and happiness
  • Have positive mental health/wellbeing so they can learn and play with others
  • Have the knowledge and skills to progress to the next stage of their learning

Living to love

The ‘greatest commandment’ is that we love one another (Matthew 22 v34-40) and love should underpin all that we do.

Children will:

  • Feel safe in school and know how to keep themselves safe in the world
  • Love and respect each other, developing and maintaining positive relationships with their peers and with adults
  • Understand the need for equality and opportunity for all

Loving to learn

Jesus loved to learn from the teachers in the temple (Luke 2 v46) and his disciples loved to learn from him. We aim to follow this example and enable our children to love learning new things.

Children will:

  • Demonstrate respect for difference and diversity both within the school community and beyond it
  • Demonstrate an enquiring mind and the courage to learn new things
  • Fulfil their potential as independent learn

4. Ethos and Values

  • The school has a strong Christian ethos where the development of skills and knowledge is underpinned by love and respect for each other, and a strong connection between school, home and the local community, especially St Andrew’s Church.
  • The school provides high-quality teaching and challenging learning opportunities for every child, alongside exciting and enriching extra-curricular activities.
  • The six Christian values building from our vision and underpinning our ethos are:
  • Peace, Trust, Forgiveness, Friendship, Courage and Respect.
  • We encourage children to recognise these throughout their daily life.

5. Visible Consistencies

To ensure predictability and clarity, all staff commit to the following actions:

  • Meet and greet every child positively at the classroom door.
  • Use calm, respectful language at all times.
  • Give clear expectations using simple, direct instructions.
  • Reinforce positive behaviour frequently and specifically.
  • Follow up and follow through on behaviour concerns.

6. Rules and Expectations

Our school rules are simple and easy to understand:

  1. Ready – prepared to learn and follow instructions.
  2. Respectful – of people, property and the learning environment.
  3. Safe – making choices that keep everyone safe.

These expectations are explicitly taught, modelled and practised across the school day.

7. Recognising and Celebrating Positive Behaviour

Following Paul Dix’s emphasis on visible, sincere recognition:

  • First Attention to Best Conduct – adults focus recognition on pupils who are making positive choices.
  • Recognition may include:
    • Verbal praise
    • Positive notes home
    • Recognition boards in classrooms
    • Postcards/certificates for exceptional effort
    • Opportunities to take responsibility or contribute to school life

Rewards are never used as bribes, nor removed once earned.

8. Responding to Behaviour That Does Not Meet Expectations

Staff respond using calm, predictable steps:

  1. Gentle Reminder – restate expectations clearly.
  2. Caution – a brief, private reminder outlining the choices available.
  3. Reflection Time – a short opportunity for the pupil to reset (5 minutes); completed outside the classroom with a member of SLT
  4. Restorative Conversation – held when emotions have settled.
  5. Follow-Up Actions – agreed actions to repair harm or improve future behaviour.

Consequences are proportionate, fair and linked to repairing relationships or restoring the environment.

9. Restorative Practice

A restorative conversation should be brief and purposeful. Staff may use questions such as:

  • What happened?
  • What were you thinking at the time?
  • How did your actions affect others?
  • What do you need to do to put things right?
  • How can we make sure this doesn’t happen again?

Restorative work emphasises accountability, empathy and learning from mistakes.

10. Serious or Persistent Behaviour Concerns

Some behaviours may require additional support or intervention. These include:

  • Repeated disruption
  • Physical aggression
  • Dangerous behaviour
  • Bullying

For serious incidents, the following steps are taken:

  • Immediate safety measures
  • Senior leader involvement
  • Contact with parents or carers
  • Individual behaviour support plans where needed
  • Regular monitoring and review

The school works closely with families and external agencies where appropriate.

11. Use of Restrictive Interventions and Reasonable Force

In line with Department for Education guidance, the use of restrictive intervention or reasonable force will always be a last resort and only used to prevent a pupil from causing harm to themselves or others, from damaging property, or from seriously disrupting the learning environment. At all times, staff will act in the best interests of the child, using the minimum force necessary and for the shortest possible duration. Our approach remains rooted in de-escalation, relational practice and understanding behaviour as communication; staff are trained to use calm, preventative strategies to reduce the need for physical intervention. Any use of reasonable force will be proportionate, reasonable and recorded in line with safeguarding procedures, with parents informed as soon as possible. Following any incident, a restorative and supportive follow-up will take place to ensure the wellbeing of all involved and to help the child reflect, repair and learn from the situation.

12. Support for Individual Pupils

Where pupils need additional help, the school will use:

  • Regulation and calm spaces
  • SEMH interventions
  • Individual targets or behaviour plans
  • Pastoral or mentoring support
  • Reasonable adjustments to reduce barriers to success

Support plans are time-bound, reviewed frequently and shared with relevant staff.

13. Staff Professional Conduct

Staff are expected to:

  • Model expected behaviours at all times
  • Maintain emotional control and avoid confrontational behaviour
  • Use behaviour language that is brief, neutral and consistent
  • Build trust and respect with pupils and families
  • Seek support when needed

14. Communication with Parents and Carers

We value partnership with families. Communication may include:

  • Sharing positive behaviour regularly
  • Informing parents when concerns arise
  • Working collaboratively on strategies and support

15. Monitoring and Review

The Senior Leadership Team will monitor behaviour patterns, recognition systems and the consistency of approaches. The policy will be reviewed annually with staff, governors and pupils.

16. Conclusion

This policy sets out a calm, relational and consistent approach to behaviour that ensures every child feels safe, valued and ready to learn. Through high expectations, positive relationships and restorative practices, we aim to build a school culture in which every pupil can thrive.

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